A/N: This is basically the last chapter in this part of the story. There will be one more that will wrap up most of the questions that you have and then a couple more after that which will answer a few more questions not addressed in the next chapter.
I'm sure there is more that I can do to this chapter, but I'm going to post it. I hope you don't find it disappointing. I've had a lot of trouble with it because you've all invested a lot of time in this story and I want this semi-ending to be worth it.
Be sure to read the A/N at the end where I've listed most of the questions that I know I need to address…I don't want your disappointment to be in the fact that I haven't answered something you wanted answered. If you feel I've forgotten something (which is possible after all this time) let me know.
Thanks again for all of your support. We are definitely closing in on the end.
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Prior Incantato
"No, Hermione," Harry said, fighting to keep his emotions under control. "This isn't where you were standing. Come on, come with me," he said, holding his hand out to her.
She looked at him wearily and reluctantly placed her hand in his and allowed him to lead her from the clearing across to the grassy knoll. "This is where you were standing, Hermione," he said firmly, pointing to the ground in front of them, "right here. This is where you were when you got hit by that curse and this is where you fell." His voice began to crack as he fought back the tears that once again threatened to fall.
Hermione stood there, staring at the spot where he'd pointed, looking unconcerned. "Here?" she asked quietly.
"Yes, Hermione, right here."
She looked back in the direction from which they'd come and then back to the spot in front of her. She didn't know what to believe anymore and she was finding it impossible to care one way or another. She felt numb and not at all in…or out…of control. It was as though the two parts of her had melded together and left her decidedly empty. Neither side was in control, she could feel nothing. She looked at Harry wanting, needing to feel something, and she couldn't.
"What is it, Hermione?" he asked worriedly. "Tell me what's wrong."
"I don't know what's wrong," she replied woodenly. "It's like I can't feel anything. I just feel numb. It feels like I'm hollow inside and I can't even tell you if I'm bothered by it and truthfully, I don't even think I care. I've felt strange since before we left the Ministry, I just haven't understood why. I don't even know why I was crying when you found me, there was no emotion in it, they were just empty tears. I can't feel anger, sadness, pain, joy…or anything. Can you tell me Harry? What's wrong with me?"
So that's why she was acting so strange at the Ministry. Silent tears were falling down his face now as he listened to her and he couldn't speak past the lump lodged in his throat. He did the only thing he could think of…he grabbed hold of her and kissed her with all of his heart. Her lips were cold against his but this time he didn't pull away; even when she stood there, unresponsive. He kissed her over and over and after what felt like an eternity he felt the slightest glimmer of hope when she placed her hands hesitantly upon his hips. Her lips still hadn't moved but he felt the slightest movement of her body against his. "I love you, Hermione," he whispered softly against her ear. "I love you so much. You have to come back to me. You know there's no life for me without you. We've been through too much for me to lose you now." He alternated between kissing her and whispering words of love, between caressing her cheeks and running his fingers through her hair.
He'd lost count of the number of times he told her he loved her. He'd just told her again when he felt something he hadn't before. He pulled slightly away from her and saw tears sliding down her face. He kissed her again and she moved her hands around to his back, pulling him closer. "Kiss me Hermione," he said against her lips. "I love you."
He could taste the salt of her tears when finally he broke through the barrier and he felt her kiss him back. "I love you too, Harry," she said, pulling back and resting her forehead against his.
"Let's go," he said, kissing her again. Before she could do anything he grabbed her hand and ran back to the clearing. The wands were on the ground where they'd left them when he'd taken her to the knoll. "Come on Hermione, let's do this quickly," he said as he dropped down to the ground and began to open the containers to remove the wands. He set Cho's on the side of him opposite Hermione to keep it away from her. "Help me," he said, looking up at her as she stood watching him.
Quickly she got down and grabbed Draco's wand and removed it from the container, making sure to keep them together so they'd know which wand belonged to which person. When they had the wands laid out Harry grabbed his and Draco's and started to place the tips together to perform the spell. "No," Hermione said, placing her hand over his, "we have to wait on those." She took Draco's wand out of his hand and laid it to the side then placed Millicent's next to it.
"All right," he said, deciding not to question her. "You take that one and I'll take this one then," he said grabbing one of the unknowns.
Harry held his wand to the tip of the one in his hand, "PRIOR INCANTATO" he said, hoping and praying that it would work. It took a moment and Harry wondered if maybe he'd done something wrong. He felt the wand shake and then he saw the shadow of Millicent Bullstrode as she rose up from the tip.
"Thank you," she said kindly when she had fully emerged. Harry noted that for the first time in his memory, she was smiling a genuine smile at them.
Hermione looked up with tears in her eyes. "Thank you Millicent … for everything," she said huskily.
"Remember to let it go, Hermione, just let it go," Millicent said just before her image faded away.
Hermione quickly grabbed the other wand wanting desperately to free Draco. She put the tips together, and somehow managed to speak the incantation clearly, "PRIOR INCANTATO." Immediately Draco's shadow emerged and the smirk on his face, so typical Draco, brought a bittersweet smile to theirs. "Who would've thought," he sneered.
"Thanks, Draco," Hermione said gratefully. "I haven't had many chances to tell you that."
"I haven't given many reasons," he replied, with what sounded to her like a note of regret. He looked at Harry. "Thanks, scarhead," he smirked.
"My pleasure, Malfoy," Harry said, trying to smile through his sorrow. "Thank you."
Draco gave them a half-smile, the closest he'd ever come to giving them a real one, before his image faded away into nothingness.
"Okay, Hermione, what's next?" Harry asked, encouraged by what had just happened.
"Cho's wand," she stated matter-of-factly.
"Are you sure?" he asked, anxious to get to Draco and Millicent's wands.
"You asked me and I told you Harry, let me have it," she said sharply.
He looked at her closely, worried about her sudden change of temper.
"I'm fine Harry," she said a little more softly, "for now anyway. You're wasting time. Let me have the wand."
Reluctantly he started to hand it to her, he paused with the wand just out of reach and narrowed his eyes to look at her. "I trust you, Hermione," he said in a quiet but firm voice. "I love you and I want you to stay with me."
Hermione nodded. "Let me have it Harry," she said, holding out her hand.
He held on tightly to his own wand as the tip of Cho's made contact with her hand. He held it up as though expecting to have to use it. She looked at him in surprise. "Sorry Hermione, but I'm not above using a binding curse if you even think about turning that thing on me," he said seriously.
"Fine, Harry," she huffed, "let's go," she said, rising to her feet.
"Go?" he asked in surprise. "Where are we going?"
"Over there," she said gesturing in the direction they'd just come from. "Fine, just stay right here then, I'll be right back," she said irritably when he didn't make a move to stand up.
"No way," Harry said quickly scrambling to his feet to follow her, "I'm not letting you out of my sight."
Hermione started to walk away with Harry close behind. She instinctually walked to the place where Cho had stood, where the trees parted and she had a perfect view of the grassy knoll. She pointed the wand in that direction and held hers up against it. "PRIOR INCANTATO" she said loud and strong. They watched as a faded green light flew from the end of the wand in the direction of the knoll, and then disappeared. Harry looked at Hermione in surprise, he knew she'd used an unforgivable curse but he'd long since convinced himself that it couldn't possibly be what he'd just seen …"That's the Avada curse," he said in disbelief.
Hermione nodded. "She really did try to kill me," she said, shocked by the absolute proof they now had. She looked at Harry with a questioning look, "Why did we only see the light? The others must have used that same curse on Draco and Millicent."
"I guess because she didn't take your spirit, she didn't kill you," he replied. "You know what this means, don't you?"
Hermione shrugged her shoulders and shook her head.
"This means we've both survived the killing curse," he said with a bittersweet smile. "How's that for destiny?"
He held his arms out to her and she willingly walked into them, letting him pull her close. "I love the feel of your arms around me," she murmured. "I feel so safe like this. I could stay here forever."
"I could hold you like this forever," he replied, "but we have some unfinished business to attend to first. I want to get you back."
Hermione nodded against his chest. "Okay," she whispered.
Harry grabbed her hand and together they walked to where Draco and Millicent's wands lay. "Are you ready," he asked feeling suddenly nervous.
"Uh huh."
"Okay, here goes," he held his wand tip to the end of Draco's wand, "PRIOR INCANTATO" he said firmly. Nothing happened. He waited a minute and tried again, "PRIOR INCANTATO" he said a little louder, a little more desperately. Nothing. He picked up Millicent's wand and with each try he got the same result. He threw it down in frustration.
"Maybe if you try them together," Hermione suggested, "it was the combination of both, remember?"
"That's right, I didn't think about that," he replied. "It's a good thing you're here to keep me straight."
He held Draco and Millicent's wands with one hand, making sure to keep the tips together, then he placed the tip of his wand to theirs. "PRIOR INCANTATO" he said loudly, firmly. They waited for what felt like an eternity and again, nothing happened. Harry tried a couple more times before his frustration got the better of him. "Damn it!" he yelled as he threw the wands to the ground.
"The one who suffers most," he heard Hermione saying, "must set free that which cannot find its way."
Harry narrowed his eyes and studied her for a moment. "You don't suppose," he said, voicing his thoughts out loud, "that maybe it's not me?"
"You think it's me?" Hermione asked in surprise. "But it's always been you."
"Well, it's obviously not working for me and I really believe that through all of this, you've suffered a great deal more than I have," he replied, "just try it."
"All right, Harry," she said skeptically, "hand me the wands."
She took the wands and held them in her hands the same way Harry had. She placed the tip of her wand against them and clearly spoke the incantation. Again, nothing.
"Damn it, damn it, damn it!" Harry shouted. "What the hell are we supposed to do now?"
Hermione's eyes suddenly lit up and Harry looked at her curiously. "You know, don't you?" he asked, amazed as always by her incredible insight.
"What do you want most in the world, Harry? If you could have anything, what would it be?" she asked, repeating the questions she'd asked him not long ago.
"Hermione, we've been through this," he said trying hard to be patient. "I already told you, you."
Hermione nodded. "And if you could be anywhere, where would you be?"
Harry's eyes lit up as he began to understand. "Anywhere with you."
"Exactly," Hermione said smiling. "Now where do you think Cho would want to be?"
"Anywhere with Cedric," he said returning her smile.
"I think your dream of the graveyard meant more than just remembering what happened there. I think that's where we need to be," she said confidently.
"Genius," he said, smiling wider. He made a move to pick up the wands they'd already cleared and was surprised to find that they were gone, along with their containers. "Hermione, where are the wands?" he asked as he began to look around for them.
"I don't know Harry, I thought they were right…" she paused to look around, "…there," she said, pointing to a spot on the ground near to where Harry had been standing.
They searched the area thoroughly and with the exception of their own wands and Draco and Millicent's, which Hermione still held in her hand, the others were nowhere to be found. "Talk about strange," Harry remarked in amazement.
Hermione looked at him and shrugged. "Yeah, well, there's nothing we can do about it now, let's get a move on. Are you ready?"
Harry nodded eagerly. It was early evening now and the dark of night was right around the corner. Where they were heading was a place he really didn't want to be when the sun turned out its light to make way for the night. They were so close now, though, that come hell or high water, dark of night or light of day, they were going and there was nothing and no one that could stop them.
`Pop' he heard Hermione apparate and he followed suit, trailing right behind her.
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He didn't see her right away when he arrived at the gravesite. "HERMIONE!" he called out in a loud whisper.
"I'm over here Harry," she called back. She'd apparated behind a large statue and he turned toward the sound of her voice as she came from around it.
"Good," he sighed in relief. "You've never been here, I didn't even think about it until I got here. Thank goodness you didn't get lost somewhere."
"I just had to follow my heart," she said, looking lovingly at him, "it always knows exactly where I need to be."
"You just hold on to that thought until we're done," he replied, pulling her into a hug. "You may need that if something goes wrong."
"I will," she promised.
The sun could barely be seen along the horizon now and the darkness was closing in fast. Thankfully it was a warm, cloudless night without a hint of rain in the air. All of their attention could now be focused on the task at hand.
"Do you think we have to be where it happened?" Harry asked. At Hermione confused expression he added, "Cedric I mean, do you think we need to be right where it happened?"
"I don't know, but we might as well try it from there, there's no point in wishing we had after another round of disappointment."
"True," he agreed. "It happened somewhere near Tom Riddle's headstone. If we find that we'll probably be close enough."
"Lumos," Hermione said quietly as she began to walk around checking the names on the headstones. Harry lit his wand and went in the opposite direction to do the same.
After about five minutes Harry called out in a loud whisper, "Over here, Hermione."
Hermione walked over to where he stood and handed him Draco and Millicent's wands. "I really think it's you Harry. Here, try it."
Harry took the wands and held them together like he had before. "Nox," he said putting out the light on his own wand before touching the tip of it to the other two. Once again he said the incantation and just like before, nothing happened. Not wanting to curse while standing in the middle of a graveyard Harry chose instead to huff loudly before trying again. Still nothing.
"Here Hermione," he said, thrusting the wands toward her in frustration, "this time it's you and this time it da…darn well better work."
Hermione took the wands from him and carefully placed their tips together. She then placed the tip of her wand to the tips of theirs and a sudden, bright light appeared above them. Surprised, she jerked and pulled the wands apart as she looked up to find an instantly darkened sky. "Did you see that?" she asked Harry, wondering if she'd imagined it.
Harry was still staring at the spot where the light had been when he nodded his head. "Do it again, Hermione," he said pointing at the wands in her hands. "Bring `em together."
Hermione looked at the wands and did as Harry instructed. This time, after the tips were touching she looked up into the sky without separating them and watched in wonder as the light returned. It had a distinct shape though she couldn't quite make it out. "That's the same light," Harry said, staring at it in awe. "It's the one from my dream."
"Go on," said the voice from the light, encouraging Hermione to continue. "Return her to me."
"Cedric." Hermione said in amazement. Suddenly the light changed and she could just make out the outline of his face. Hermione looked at the wands with tears in her eyes. "PRIOR INCANTATO" she said hoarsely. In a burst of light a figure emerged from the tip of the wand. It was nothing like the shadows of Draco and Millicent; this was so much more. It was an image filled with the unmistakable light of love; Hermione could feel it flowing through her. Not as an emotion of her own, but one of Cho's. For the first time since all this had begun, Hermione was grateful for the opportunity to feel what Cho felt. She found it hard to believe that a woman with this much love could harbor so much anger, jealousy, and resentment…they went so far to the extreme of what she felt from her now.
Hermione watched as the figure of Cho floated upward to join with the image of Cedric. She looked back down on them with tears in her eyes. "I'm so sorry, to both of you," she said, her voice full of anguish and regret. "You have no reason to forgive me but I so wish you would. I've done so many things wrong and hurt so many people, but none more than you. Seeing my Cedric here now, knowing the kind of man he is, has made me remember the kind of man you truly are, Harry. I realize now that you hold no blame and I am so sorry that I took my misplaced revenge so far. You've done nothing wrong, but I offer my forgiveness, my love, and a piece of my heart…take what you need from me so you can set Hermione free. And please, someday, find it in your heart to forgive me."
Harry looked at Hermione, unable to speak. She was gripping the wands tightly, the tips still touching. She looked at Harry then to Cho and Cedric. Millicent's words echoed in her head, let it go, Hermione, just let it go, giving her the strength she needed. "Heaven or hell, wherever you go from here, go knowing that I forgive you," she said in a loud, clear voice. "Through all the pain, frustration, and suffering, you managed to give me hope for the future and the love of the one person I now know I can't possibly live without, and for that I'm forever grateful." She turned to look at Harry who was watching her in awe, "I love you," she mouthed silently to him. She looked at them once more then she pulled the wands apart, expecting them to disappear. Their figures remained in the air and Harry and Hermione watched, as they looked at each other, together at last, bound by the unbreakable bond of love. Hermione could still feel the love flowing through her but the feeling no longer belonged to Cho, it was now her own.
"I forgive you also," Harry called out to Cho. "One of your wishes came true and for that I'm thankful…I realize now that I love Hermione and you were right … I couldn't live my life without her. My love for her far outweighs any feelings I may have toward you, negative or otherwise. I refuse to enter into my life with her while harboring feelings of anger and resentment toward you; it's not worth the effort. Your revenge brought us together and now it's brought you and Cedric together," he said. He looked from Cho to Cedric and said, "`they shall lead you to where the journey ends and all hearts shall be free to live again'. Those are your words, aren't they? Does this mean we're finally free?"
Cedric nodded. "Yes, Harry, you're finally free," he said looking around at all of them, "we all are."
"You're too good of a man, Harry Potter," Cho called out to him, "you truly are. I'm sorry Hermione for failing to realize it sooner and for forcing you to live this way. Take care of each other," she said as her light began to fade.
"Thank you." They heard Cedric say just before the last vestiges of their images faded away; leaving Harry and Hermione surrounded by the darkness.
The moment they were gone Hermione fell to her knees as emotions suddenly began to overwhelm her. Anger, hate, rage, jealousy…all of them coursing through her body, she screamed for release as they invaded every part of her. Harry ran to her quickly and dropped down to her side; he'd never known such fear in his life. "Hermione!" he yelled. "Hermione, talk to me!"
Hermione lay unconscious on the ground, her body trembling. Harry ran to find something, anything that he could transform into a Portkey. He'd seen it done often enough that he thought sure he could do it. He picked up a medium sized rock, pictured the infirmary at Hogwarts, pointed his wand at it and said, "Portus." He then moved to gather Hermione into his arms to wait for the familiar jerk behind his navel.
In no time he found himself struggling to hold her upright as they landed on the floor of the infirmary; the sound of the rock striking against the floor echoed around the room and Madam Pomfrey was there in seconds. "What's happened, Mr. Potter?" she asked, quickly recovering from the shock of the sudden noise.
Harry moved to place Hermione on her bed then looked at Madam Pomfrey. His breath was coming in short gasps. "Did…what we had to do…freed Cho…passed out…" he stammered.
"Oh, dear," she said, hurrying to stand beside Hermione. Harry had to move quickly to get out of her way as she checked her vitals and listened twice to her heartbeat. "She's stable," she said and Harry watched the obvious signs of relief that passed across her face. "Let's give her some time. At this point I see no reason for alarm. If she hasn't awakened within the half hour we'll wake her by other means. I will return shortly, Mr. Potter, I'm going to get Professor Dumbledore. Perhaps you should try lying down as well."
Harry nodded. "Thank you, ma'am."
He turned back to Hermione to watch her sleep. He wouldn't be able to rest until he knew that she was all right. The only time he didn't see her was when his eyes forced him to blink. He was so consumed by watching her that he didn't hear Professor Dumbledore come through the door followed closely by Madam Pomfrey. He jumped when he felt a hand touch his shoulder. "Professor Dumbledore," he said breathing heavily. "You scared me."
"My apologies, Harry, I certainly didn't intend to frighten you," he said. "How is Miss Granger? Has she moved?"
Harry shook his head and turned back to watch her. It was hardly a minute later that she began to stretch out her legs and arms. Slowly she turned her head to look at him. "Harry," she breathed, "Harry we did it."
Relief flooded his body and there was no way he could have stopped the tears it brought along with it. He moved closer to her and held tightly to her hand as he placed his lips near her ear. "No," he whispered huskily around the lump in his throat, "you did it, Love."
Hermione fell back to sleep with a well-deserved smile on her face and the feel of Harry's hands wrapped tightly around hers…and the knowledge that things would look a whole lot better when she next awakened.
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Okay, so I hope that wasn't too cheesy. I've really been wanting to wrap up this part of the story. Now that you know she's going to be all right, I have some more explaining to do. I know off-hand that I have the following questions to address (and not necessarily in this order)…
What's going on with Dumbledore?
Why was everyone basically ignoring them?
Who was at Ollivanders?
Is this all a dream?
What's the significance of Her-my-oh-nee (which I know for a fact is cheesy because it came from my original story idea)?
Harry's question for her parents
The trio giving their story
A tribute of some sort to Draco and Millicent
Cho's last journal entry
And, the end of the fairy tale
AND…last but certainly not least, when Dumbledore `thinks' Harry first fell in love with Hermione
That's pretty close to everything, I think. YEESH!!!!!
Never fear though…there is no more Cho, no more demon-possessed Hermione…just some unanswered questions and a light bit of fluff…I don't even think there will be any more cliffhangers.
Thanks for taking this journey with me this far…a few more chapters and we'll be done.
H_HrFan
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